Local residents encouraged to get flu vaccines

By Kathy Thomson

Albany local medical professionals are advising Shackelford County residents to get vaccinated for influenza soon, following several cases of flu already appearing in one local clinic as well as the announcement on Sept. 26 by national public health and medical groups that kicked off the 2019-2020 flu vaccine campaign.

“We saw at least five confirmed cases of the flu last week,” said Shackelford County Health Clinic spokesman Jera Fairley. “People should get their flu shot as soon as possible. It takes two weeks after being vaccinated before you get the full effect.”

The Centers for Disease Control recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone six months and older with any licensed influenza vaccine that is appropriate for the recipient’s age and health status.

“We have the vaccine for those three years of age and over,” said Fairley. “We also have the high dose vaccine for those over 65, if they prefer it.”

The local clinic does not carry a vaccine appropriate for infants between six months and three years of age.

“We recommend that children that age get the vaccine from their pediatricians,” said Fairley.

ResourceCare nurse Judy Patterson said that the ResourceCare clinic has not yet received their shipment of influenza vaccine.

“It will probably be another week before ours comes in,” she said on Monday. “There was a delay in getting our supply.”

According to Patterson, health workers at ResourceCare have already seen patients with several types of respiratory infections, including strep, but not the flu.

“We’ve checked a lot of people for flu, but so far none have been positive,” she said on Monday.

However, Albany Independent School District nurse Lisa Russell has seen cases on both campuses.

“We are up to two total (staff or students) on each campus so far in the past two weeks,” Russell said on Tuesday. “These are doctor confirmed flu cases.”

Russell said that like last year, some of those that recently tested positive for the flu only had vague symptoms, not too much different from allergy problems, instead of the more classic flu signs of a sudden onset of high fever, aches, and chills. 

“We are having some other respiratory illnesses also, but those are really not too bad for this time of year,” she said. “We monitor physician confirmed flu cases. We also track numbers of flu cases on both campuses with the attendance clerks, and report those numbers to administration, so it is very closely monitored.”

People who are sick with flu should stay home from work or school to prevent spreading flu to others, according to the CDC. 

Students at AISD are sent home if they have a temperature of 100 degrees or more, and they must stay home until they have not had a temperature of 100 degrees or greater for at least 24 hours.

“I want to remind the community of Albany that flu viruses can spread one day before symptoms appear and are most contagious in the first three to four days after the illness begins,” said Russell. 

Flu viruses only live for 24 hours (48 hours at the very most) on surfaces, and the school is cleaned more frequently than almost any other public place, the nurse added.

Students are also encouraged to avoid using public drinking fountains, instead using the water bottle filling stations, and to wash their hands frequently.

“Hand washing is always our best line of defense on the spread of any disease,” said Russell. 

Local Vaccines

“Most insurance companies will cover the cost of a flu vaccine,” Fairley said. “For those without insurance, walk-in private pay cost for the vaccine here at the Shackelford County Health Clinic is $25. For everyone else, we bill their insurance.”

Fairley advised those wanting a flu shot to come to the clinic between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

“We open at 8:00 a.m.,” she said. “But we are more apt to have sick walk-ins in the office between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m.”

Neither of the local clinics require an appointment to get a flu vaccine.

Patterson said that once their vaccine arrives, walk-ins can get their influenza vaccine anytime between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. 

“We haven’t been told what the price will be for those without insurance,” she said.

In previous years, those paying in cash for their flu vaccine at ResourceCare were charged on a sliding scale based upon income.

Children who have not been vaccinated in the past will need a series of two vaccinations, and they should start the vaccination process sooner than others, because the two doses must be given at least four weeks apart.

Children less than six months old are too young to get an influenza vaccine, so the best way to protect them is to make sure members of their household and their caregivers are all vaccinated.

CDC Notes For 2019-20

Influenza activity is currently low in both Texas and across the rest of the nation. 

“Flu season” in the United States can begin as early as October and last as late as May, according to the CDC.

An annual seasonal flu vaccine is considered to be the best way to reduce the chances that the recipient will get seasonal flu and spread it to others.

“Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick, it can keep you out of the hospital, and it can even save your life,” said United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar.

Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are in the vaccine.

This year the vaccines have been designed to protect against two type A strains (H1N1 and H3N2) and two type B strains (Victoria and Yamagata lineages) of flu.

In addition to getting a seasonal flu vaccine, people can take everyday preventive actions like staying away from sick people and washing their hands to reduce the spread of germs. 

There are prescription antiviral drugs that can be used to treat influenza illness including Xofluza, a single-dose drug which was approved last October.

People with known egg allergies, those who have had an allergic reaction to a vaccine in the past, and anyone who has ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome should make sure to discuss any of those with the nurse before being vaccinated.

Anyone who has had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination, and children younger than six months of age should not be vaccinated.

Those who are moderately or severely ill, with or without fever, should usually wait until they recover before getting a flu vaccine.